Whether it’s a cocktail with a mini umbrella on the plane, or an exotic duty free fragrance at the airport, everyone needs a little something to tip them into summer holiday mode. My ritual is a little different. It involves loading boring travel paraphernalia into one the most fabulous travel companions I’ve ever seen.

It’s hard to believe that a sans-style man could influence a whole crop of fashion designers, but then again we are talking about James ‘King of the Universe’ Cameron. Since the release of Avatar, the world of Pandora has become a popular muse for designers who aren’t afraid of a little colour palette experimentation.

Walk down any street in Surry Hills and not only will you find Sydney’s entire population of parking inspectors, you’ll spot hipsters carrying vintage backpacks from the nineties. Thankfully, there is now an alternative to looking like Elaine out of Seinfeld. Designer Rachael Ruddick creates luxurious calfskin backpacks for those drawn to beautifully made pieces, not geographical-based trends.

You don’t set aside precious wardrobe real estate for just anything. When storage is limited and your clothes collection is growing, drastic measures need to be taken. Gone are the days of buying dresses you’ll only wear once, you need pieces that can handle themselves in any situation. Something that’s just as comfortable sipping on cocktails as it is dining with your mother in-law. That’s where Sydney-based label Tato & Memi comes in.

The fashion Gods of the world blessed me with a sneak peek inside the forthcoming Made in Space Spring/Summer 2010 collection by Sydney fashion label Eleventh Commandment. Five months and 120 pieces later, the innovative line offers Australian made denim and apparel for both men and women including: jeans, chinos, tees, shorts, dresses, bodysuits, singlets and boardies.

With all the endless parades of feminine frocks at this years’ Australian Fashion Week, we were bowled over by the wonderfully named Song For The Mute. Melvin Tanaya and Lyna Ty’s second menswear collection subtly breaks the rules of traditional tailoring to create brave new silhouettes. Raw, fragile shirting and delicate, draped fisherman style pants […]

Until Sydney’s tumultuous climate stops replicating Melbourne-esque four seasons in one day weather, one thing will remain certain: leather jackets in our wardrobes are essential. It doesn’t matter if summer is looming around the corner. You always need one, or many, and Cream on Crown Street (Surry Hills) and King Street (Newtown) is my hook-up of choice.

Just when I thought my favourite flip flops couldn’t get any better, Havaiana are still offering their thong straps laced with Swarovski crystals. I reckon the bling bling lover in you won’t mind forking out a little extra moolah if it means adding some sparkle to your Havis.

If you thought that fashion and science had nothing in common, think again. Now we creative types have little time for heavy discussion about scientific facts, so we’ll get straight to the point. Emerging Sydney designer Dion Lee has interpreted ‘mitosis’, the process where cells divide, in an impressive first collection that’s already gaining a cult following.